Network aware element and a method for using same

Abstract

A network element is provided, configured to operate in an IP-based communication network and to manage resources in that communication network which are being utilized by a software application. The management of these resources is carried out by the network element (e.g. a router) through affecting changes in these resources in response to obtaining information retrieved from an application program interface (API) associated with the software application, such as for example, values of key performance indicators (KPIs) associated with the software application.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A network element operative in a cloud computing environment in an IP-based communication network, wherein said cloud computing environment being an Internet-based computing environment that provides, on demand, shared computer processing resources and data to devices comprised in said IP-based communication network, and wherein said network element is configured to manage network resources, wherein said management of the networking resources is carried out by affecting changes at the communication network level of at least one service associated with a software application, wherein said service is a member selected from among a group that consists of network security, storage and cloud computing services, wherein said changes are affected in response to obtaining information retrieved from an application program interface (API) associated with said software application and wherein said obtained information comprises network related control commands, and information that relates to current usage of said software application by users communicating with said software application thereby enabling said network element to identify a user's experience of users communicating with said software application. 
     
     
       2. The network element of  claim 1 , wherein the information retrieved from the API comprises values of key performance indicators (KPIs) associated with said software application. 
     
     
       3. The network element of  claim 1 , wherein said network element is a router. 
     
     
       4. A method for use by a network element operative in a cloud computing environment in an IP-based communication network, wherein said cloud computing environment being an Internet-based computing environment that provides, on demand, shared computer processing resources and data to devices comprised in said IP-based communication network, wherein said method is adapted for use in managing shared network resources, wherein said method comprises affecting changes at the communication network level of at least one service associated with a software application, wherein said service is a member selected from among a group that consists of network security, storage and cloud computing services, wherein said changes are affected in response to obtaining information retrieved from an application program interface (API) associated with said software application, and wherein said obtained information comprises network related control commands, and information that relates to current usage of said software application by users communicating with said software application, thereby enabling said network element to identify a user's experience of users communicating with said software application. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the information retrieved from the API comprises values of key performance indicators (KPIs) associated with said software application. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein the method comprises the steps of:
 (i) registering said software application with the network element; 
 (ii) providing said software application with information that relates to a user experience of users communicating with said software application; 
 (iii) providing the network element with information that would enable the network element to affect changes in resources associated with the communication network that are being utilized by the software application; and 
 (iv) affecting one or more changes in said resources based on the information provided in step (iii). 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein said method further comprising:
 (v) retrieving information for assessing results of affecting at least one of the one or more changes; and 
 (vi) providing said software application with information, based on the information retrieved in step (v). 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 6 , wherein said network element is a router. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , wherein said software application is registered with the router via a network API to enable said router to identify the user experience, based on retrieved values of (KPIs) associated with said software application. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the information provided in step (ii) is information that relates to a user experience as reflected by said router and/or by said communication network. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the information that enables said network element to affect changes in said resources provided in step (iii) comprises one or more indications that respective pre-defined KPI thresholds have been crossed. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the changes affected in step (iv) is a member of a group that consists of: changing QoS profile, changing routing metric, and changing virtual routing and forwarding (VRF) of packets. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 6 , wherein said method is incorporated in a firewall activity to reduce processing calculations that are required to be carried out by the firewall, in the case of an attack on the software application, which results in a request initiated by the firewall to divert or block traffic at the network level. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 6 , wherein said software application is a storage software application, and wherein said method is configured to enable routing data being conveyed for storage by the storage software application in case that an approach to a respective storage device is currently adversely affected by a network congestion. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the method is configured to enable allocating additional bandwidth to the software application in order to overcome a temporary performance problem associated therewith. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 6 , wherein said software application is configured to affect one or more temporary network operational changes in order to enhance a user experience.